Doing Research; Need Some Assistance

[Tom123]

I am currently doing some research on "Where Has Nursing Gone?" I am looking over the past 45 - 50 years of nursing, and wanting to look at how we delivered patient care, and how are we delivering patient care today. What are the differences? How much impact is the nursing shortage? How much impact has the 12/12 shift had on patient care? Why do nurses no longer give bed baths, or assist patients with a bath, when needed (ie., post surgery)?

Any suggestions on books on the same topic would be greatly appreciated. I would also encourage your on responses. If you do give me personal responses, please include:

Age bracket: 20-30; 30-40; 40-50; 50-60; 60 and over.

Years of practice:

[RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN]

Bed baths? Cause we have nursing aides/techs to do this so that nurses can focus on the things that only nurses can do....chart, assess, treatments, meds, etc. and with the number of patients we have we can't do everything........don't get me wrong nurses do sometimes help, especially with less stable patients and such, ICU patients,......when I did medical it was on a floor with 4 vent beds and the techs were uncomfortable turning these patients to clean/bath with the vent there so I always helped.

[Magriff3]

You need to look into your colleges library database system...it is awesome for research. Or get a library card to one of your state's college institutions and you will have access to their database.

[Tom123]

Thank you for your response. I asked the question about assisting with baths, because we have 5 major hospitals in the area. Of those, 3 do not use aides/techs. I had major spinal surgery 2 years ago, and was not even asked if I needed any assistance with a bath, nor was my bed changed.

That is one reason why I ask, Where has nursing gone?

Thanks again

[Sunflowerinsc, ADN, RN]

Bed baths? Cause we have nursing aides/techs to do this so that nurses can focus on the things that only nurses can do....chart, assess, treatments, meds, etc. and with the number of patients we have we can't do everything........don't get me wrong nurses do sometimes help, especially with less stable patients and such, ICU patients,......when I did medical it was on a floor with 4 vent beds and the techs were uncomfortable turning these patients to clean/bath with the vent there so I always helped.

I think this answer is very telling about where nursing has gone. The first response is "focus on things only nurses can do --chart. And "we have nursing aides/techs to do this."(baths) I have worked on a medical -surgical floor for over 40 years. And yea, I am really old, over 60.! The past year I have worked prn, generally 24 hours a week. Could work lots more if I would just answer the phone!

I would be interested in your findings on this research.